Across-the-country run raises $400,000, and more

Across-the-country run raises $400,000

A retired Marine completed a 3,600-mile run across the country on Veterans Day this week, raising $400,000 for three charities that help vets adjust to civilian life. Sgt. Brendan O’Toole, 25, set off in November 2012 from Oceanside, Calif., and ran between 15 and 20 miles a day through 21 states, taking a detour to climb the One World Trade Center tower in New York City. He finished his run in Portland, Maine, joined by local police, firefighters, and vets. “I’m pretty exhausted, pretty overwhelmed, but very excited,” he said.

Town builds home for disabled veteran

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A town in California has come together to build a new home for a disabled Iraq War veteran. Students at Lancaster High School started the ball rolling by raising $80,000 earlier this year to design an accessible house for Jerral Hancock, who was paralyzed and lost an arm in combat in 2007. Soon, the entire community got involved. Local contractors, architects, and real estate consultants donated manpower, local hardware stores offered discounts on supplies, and inmates at a local prison even hosted an art sale to raise proceeds. The home is due to be completed next summer.

Back to work, after winning $12.8 million

Ron Elliott of London proved his true dedication to his job as a caregiver at a local nursing home. A day after winning a $12.8 million jackpot in the lottery, Elliott, 67, returned to work—and he plans to keep working for as long as he can. “My clients have dementia and suffer from memory loss,” he said. “They don’t care that I’ve won the lottery, and they still need care.” Elliott said he planned to spend some of his winnings on a party for his elderly charges. “[I’d] like to see if we can give the residents some sort of do leading up to Christmas,” he said.